Weight Loss For Women | 5 Tips That Actually Work

Losing weight can be difficult, especially when your genetics make it an up-hill battle! This post will share 5 tips that actually (seriously!) result in weight loss for women.

Can't seem to get rid of those stubborn pounds? Oh, you are NOT alone! It's been a lifelong journey for me and I know (through experience) how frustrating it can be. I remember the first time I signed up for personal training at my local gym...only to be given the same strength training routine that was prepared for my husband! Seriously?! Even then I knew that women needed information and weight loss plans specific to us and our bodies.

So, if you've gained a few extra pounds over these past few months and miss fitting into your jeans, keeping up with your kids or just want to feel better about your body...you're definitely in the right place. Keep reading to learn the 5 (it's a small number but these really are the MOST effective) tips to create effective, healthy, and long lasting weight loss for women.

Is It Harder For Women To Lose Weight?

Yeah, it is harder for women to lose weight. Between hormone fluctuations and natural body changes, women will have to work extra hard to lose weight. So no, it's not just your imagination! After researching, and listening to many women share their stories, I've found that these are the most common factors that make losing weight extra challenging (but not impossible!). You can reach your weight loss goals.

1. Hormonal fluctuations: Women live with hormone fluctuations in a way that men will never - truly - understand. This influences many aspects of our lives, including weight loss and weight gain. From the stress hormone, cortisol to estrogen to leptin, cravings, decreased satiety, and more caused by hormonal ups and downs can affect our eating habits.
   
2. Metabolism: Men and women have different metabolisms, too! Because men naturally have a greater lean muscle mass, they have a higher resting metabolic rate. And being that muscle burns more calories than fat...men burn calories at a faster rate compared to women. If you do feel like your metabolism has plateaued and you want to give it a jumpstart, check my post on How To Increase Your Metabolism.
   
3. Emotions: Raise your hand if you've ever reached for high-fat and sugary foods when stressed, frazzled, or sad. Studies show that women have a higher tendency to be emotional eaters compared to men so there's nothing cliché about this situation.

At What Age Does A Woman's Metabolism Slow Down?

Women generally reach their highest basal metabolic rate in their late teens or early twenties. After that, it begins to slow down. I know that sounds unfair and it frustrated the heck out me, too! But there are always (always!) ways to work with our bodies to reach that healthy weight at any age.

Often, there are habits that we can drop and healthier ones we can adopt. For instance, make sure the food you eat is full of vitamins and minerals to have a positive impact on your health. Add things like whole grains, vegetables, eggs and healthy fats to your day-to-day meals.

As for exercise, both resistance training and cardio are beneficial to weight loss. If you feel tired all of the time, I can guarantee that gradually adding aerobic exercise to your week will help. You can take a look at the 12 Worst Weight Loss Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them!) so that you don't sabotage your own weight loss journey.

What Are The Best Ways For Women To Lose Weight?

Now for the best part! Below are my proven weight loss tips that I personally use to keep my weight in a healthy place.

#1. Eat more, not less

Most diet programs that are promoted to women are counterproductive because they all have a short-term goal in mind: drop the pounds fast! And honestly, it always never works. Trust me, I've been there before, and eating way less than your body needs will mostly cause unhappiness and a yo-yo effect (you lose, you gain, and so on).

Instead, for long-term results, turn to healthy carbohydrates, fruits and veggies! Not only are whole foods high in fiber, water and even micronutrients...they'll help you eat less of the unhealthy stuff (because they keep you fuller for longer periods).

Along with carbs and veggies, you're going to want to up your protein intake. Protein fills you up and also helps you build lean muscle - and it repairs your muscles after a workout also. Because protein is so essential to our health, Dustin and I created cleanish Brand Plant-Based Protein Powder in 3 delicious flavors to boost our daily protein numbers (and yours!).

#2. Hydrate

Did you know that thirst is easily mistaken for hunger? Make sure you keep yourself hydrated ALL the time because drinking more water is an easy and effective way to shed some weight. I normally start my day with two big glasses of water before having my breakfast or coffee.

I know some of you guys don't enjoy the bland taste of water, so why not fruit it up? And it doesn't even have to be lemon, although I do LOVE lemon water. You could also infuse your water with crushed watermelon, pineapple, some blueberries or strawberries.

#3. Portion control

Liming portion size can significantly reduce your chances of overeating. I mean it makes sense, right? When I have a huge plate, I instantly (instinctively?) want to fill it up with food. Portion control is one of the biggest nutrition hacks I’ve found for sticking to a healthy lifestyle, losing weight, and then maintaining my ideal weight. 

By portioning our meals and being mindful of the amount of food we eat, we can essentially assume control over how much of our food will be stored as fat.  And, if we eat at a calorie deficit (which means we eat less than what our body requires each day to function) we can make our body use the stored body fat for energy. Which causes weight loss! If you want to know more, I did a deep dive on portion on control in this blog post.

#4. Avoid refined sugar

I truly believe that people need to be on the look-out for additives and refined sugar. Not only are they MAJOR contributors to weight gain, but they can also cause diabetes and heart disease. And to top it off, even when you're trying to cut back on added sugar, you may still be consuming more grams of sugar per day than you realize.

That’s because of the darn sneaky sugars that make their way onto the table and into your meals. I've made a super helpful list of how you can spot hidden sugars in foods plus 12 foods that have shockingly more sugar than you think! Fewer calories of the sugar coated kind means weight loss and a better feeling overall.

#5. Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting (also known as IF) has definitely changed the way people diet throughout the years. I've seen how this way of eating is incomparable to all the other "fad diets" out there. It's simple, really and based on eating useful nutrients in an eating window and abstaining from food in your fasting window. Not only is it easy to start but you basically live by only two simple rules.

1. When fasting, keep hydrated to avoid headaches and feeling hungry. If you are feeling hunger pains, add 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to your water. A healthy liquid intake can curb hunger and is also known to help with weight loss. Drinking an ACV tonic is easily implemented as part of your daily routine - I describe how here.
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2. Don’t break your fast. But also don’t over calorie-restrict, either. You will want to eat a balanced diet consisting of proteins, fiber-boosting carbs, and fat. Remember, your body is using the food that you consume as fuel, so a healthy diet is essential. (My eating regimen consists of yummy foods like legumes, lentils, poultry, lean proteins, avocados, Greek yogurt and more - all tasty foods that keep hunger hormones under control.)

*Read my Beginners Guide to Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss to learn everything you need to know to get started.

There are, of course, many paths and different directions you can take when navigating your weight loss journey. Remember that your body is unique and the more important thing is that you treat yourself with love and respect.

And, if you need some extra support, I've got you! My 30 Day Healthy program will help you stop your yo-yo battle with your weight, enjoy your food AND love your lifestyle. I'll meet you here!

This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.